1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an incoming call processing method, an incoming call processing apparatus, and a computer-readable recording medium having an incoming call processing program recorded thereon.
2) Description of the Related Art
In the field of telephone reception tasks which involve reception of a large number of incoming calls, such as complaints from clients, or a telemarketing operation, there is often introduced automatic call distribution service (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cACD servicexe2x80x9d) in which an electronic exchanger automatically distributes incoming calls to individual operator terminals in order to efficiently receive the incoming calls.
In the ACD service, ACD groups, each group comprising a plurality of operator terminals, are divided according to tasks. A single ACD group usually constitutes a single unit, and receive-only operators of individual operator terminals answer incoming calls one after another. Since a limited number of operator terminals are available for the ACD service, a large number of incoming calls are efficiently received by equalization of loads exerted on the respective operator terminals and by efficiently bringing the operator terminals in operation.
In the ACD service, incoming calls are in principle received according to a queuing (or FIFO: first-in-first-out) scheme. If all the limited number of operator terminals are busy in answering incoming calls, the calling parties are required to wait while hearing announcements until they are serviced by available operator terminals.
The ACD service is based on the premise that the calling parties have to wait in order to realize efficient receipt of calls. Although the telephone operators can receive calls efficiently, the calling parties must frequently wait for answers and are apt to feel frustrated. In some cases, the calling parties complain that they must wait for a very long period of time until they are finally serviced by the telephone operators.
Depending on the type and form of tasks, the number of calls the ACD service receive usually varies from one time to another. FIG. 31 shows the relationship between variations in the number of incoming calls and the number of calls answered by operators in the ACD service. FIG. 31 shows the result of simulation of the operator terminals answering incoming calls provided in an xe2x80x9cincoming callxe2x80x9d section.
First, numerals entered in individual columns in FIG. 31 will be described.
The horizontal axis of the table shows time T. For the sake of simplicity, time T is divided into time segments ranging from 0 through 40 and corresponds to service hours during which calls are serviced. Numerals provided in the xe2x80x9cIncoming callxe2x80x9d section, which is denoted by reference code (a) in FIG. 31, each represent incoming calls (calls from clients) at each segment of time T. For instance, calls 1 and 2 are received at time T=1, and calls 3, 4, and 5 are received at time T=2.
Numerals provided in a xe2x80x9cQueued callxe2x80x9d section, which is denoted by reference code (b) in FIG. 31, represent incoming calls which are queued because no operator terminals are available to answer them. These incoming calls are placed in a waiting status until an operator terminal becomes able to answer. For example, call 14 which is received at time T=4 is queued and as a result is waiting in the queue. During the wait, the calling party of call 14 hears a ringing tone or announcements offered by the ACD service.
The queue fulfils a queuing scheme, and a value or pointer is stored in order of arrival and calls are serviced in the sequence of value or point. In short, an early-arriving call is not serviced at a later or earlier time but is inevitably serviced according to sequence of arrival.
For the sake of explanation, a call that is waiting in the queue of telephone calls will be hereinafter often referred to as a xe2x80x9cqueued call.xe2x80x9d The queued call corresponds to one of calls stored in a callback queue in sequential order and has the function of making a request for an ACD system to make a callback at a callback time by way of any of the operator terminals. Because of such a function, the queued call declares a callback to the ACD system at a callback time by setting an appointment flag.
Numerals provided in a xe2x80x9cOperator terminals A through Gxe2x80x9d section, which is denoted by reference code (c) in FIG. 31, represent that the individual operators are receiving incoming calls. In this case, seven operators (from A to G) are receiving telephone calls. For example, from time T1 to time T3, the operator A is talking with the calling party of call 1. From time T6 to T8, the operator G is talking with the calling party of call 14. Further, from time T17 to T19, the operator C is idle (inactive).
Numerals provided in a xe2x80x9cCall immediately serviced by the operatorxe2x80x9d section, which is denoted by reference symbol (d) in FIG. 31, represent calls which are received at respective points in time and are immediately answered by respective operators, who immediately start talking with the respective callers. For instance, at time T=1, the operator A immediately starts talking with the calling party of the call 1, and the operator B immediately starts talking with the calling party of the call 2.
Numerals provided in a xe2x80x9ccall serviced by the operator terminal after a waitxe2x80x9d section, which is denoted by reference code (e) in FIG. 31, represent calls which have been waiting in the queue and are answered at respective times by operators, who then start talking with the respective calling parties. For instance, at time T=4 calls 8 and 9, which have been waiting, are answered by the operators A and B, respectively, who then start talking with the respective calling parties.
Finally, numerals provided in a xe2x80x9cCall unserviced and aborted (disconnected by the calling parties)xe2x80x9d section, which is denoted by reference code (f) in FIG. 31, represent calls which are aborted by the calling parties because of a long waiting time and cannot be serviced by the operators.
For the sake of simplicity, the following model applies to the simulation.
Upon occurrence of an incoming call, if any operator can answer, the operator talks with the calling party of the call. The duration of a call corresponds to three time segments of time T. For instance, when call 1 is received at time T1, the operator A can answer (or is idle). Therefore, the operator A answers the call 1. Here, xe2x80x9cthe operator A talking with the calling party of the call xe2x80x9d is represented by entering number 1 in a block defined by the column of time T1 and the row of the operator A in the section xe2x80x9cOperator terminals A through G.xe2x80x9d Further, the calling party of the call 1 is talking with the operator A during a time period from T1 to T3. The xe2x80x9cduration of the call 1xe2x80x9d is indicated by number 1 entered in the blocks defined by columns of time T1 to T3 and the row of the operator A in the section xe2x80x9cOperator terminals A to G.xe2x80x9d
If no operator is able to answer (i.e., no operator is available) at the time of arrival of an incoming call, i.e., if the blocks defined by the column of a certain time segment and the rows of operator terminals A through G are already filled in, the incoming call is queued. For example, when call is connected at time T4, there is no available operator table; hence, the call 15 is queued. This is represented by numeral 15 entered in the column of time T4 in the xe2x80x9cQueued callxe2x80x9d section. Numerals representing calls are continuously written in the column of corresponding time in the xe2x80x9cQueued callxe2x80x9d section until one of the operators answers the call.
When the queued call is waiting for the time corresponding to three time segments T, the call is aborted (or disconnected by the calling party) at a subsequent time, thereby rendering the call unserviced. For example, the previously-described call 15 is waiting in the queue of telephone calls from time T4 to T6 and is disconnected (or aborted) at time T7 by the calling party. This is represented by numeral 15 entered in columns of time T4 to T6 in the xe2x80x9cQueued callxe2x80x9d section and then numeral 15 entered into a column of time T7 in the xe2x80x9cCall unserviced and aborted (or disconnected by the calling party)xe2x80x9d section.
The results of simulation of the operators answering the incoming calls provided in the xe2x80x9cIncoming callxe2x80x9d column according to the foregoing model revealed the following items (1-1) to (1-3).
(1-1) As pointed out by the numerals provided in the xe2x80x9cCall aborted (disconnected by the calling partyxe2x80x9d section, twenty-one calls are disconnected before being serviced by the operators; namely, call 15, calls 18 through 22, calls 26 through 28, calls 31 through 33, calls 36 and 37, calls 68 through 70, calls 72 through 74, and call 77. The thus-aborted calls account for about 26% of all incoming calls (82 calls). More specifically, the operators failed to generate a profit which would otherwise have been generated by the twenty-one calls.
(1-2) As pointed out by the numerals provided in the xe2x80x9cCall serviced by the operator after a waitxe2x80x9d section, thirty-nine calls, which account for about 48% of all incoming calls (82 calls) are serviced by the operators after a wait.
(1-3) As pointed out by the numerals provided in the xe2x80x9cCall immediately serviced by the operatorxe2x80x9d section, twenty-two calls, which account for about 26% of all the incoming calls (82 calls), are immediately serviced by the operators.
As shown in FIG. 31, the ACD service is apt to create two major dissatisfactions among calling parties; that is, the calling party must wait until he is serviced, and the time period during which the calling party is required to wait is long.
To solve the problems of the foregoing ACD service, there has been proposed a technique entitled xe2x80x9cAutomatic Callback Method and System for Automatic Call Distribution Servicexe2x80x9d disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. HEI-7-7555. The details of this technique are as follows:
When no operator terminal is available and the time that has elapsed before any of the operators terminals becomes able to answer exceeds a certain threshold value, the telephone number of the calling party is recorded and the call is temporarily disconnected. When one of the operator terminals become able to answer at a later time, the operator calls the calling party back. As a result of the calling party being connected to the operator who can answer, the call from the calling party is serviced by one of the plurality of operator terminals.
Under this method, an initial decision is made as to which one of the plurality of ACD service operator terminals can answer. If it is decided that no operator terminals are available, the telephone number of the calling party (hereinafter often referred to as a xe2x80x9ccalling party""s numberxe2x80x9d) is queued, and the call is disconnected. When one of the operator terminals becomes able to answer, the calling party is called back through use of the calling party""s number by means of the ACD service, thereby connecting the calling party to the operator terminal that can answer.
FIG. 32 shows a model regarding the relationship between incoming calls and answering by the operators in the ACD service disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. HEI-7-7555. The relationship provided in FIG. 32 corresponds to the result of simulation of application of the technique disclosed in the patent publication to a situation in which incoming calls provided in the xe2x80x9cIncoming callxe2x80x9d section are serviced by the operators.
Numerals entered in the columns in FIG. 32 will now be described.
The horizontal axis of the table shows time T. Time T is divided into time segments ranging from 0 through 40 and corresponds to service hours during which calls are serviced.
Numerals provided in the xe2x80x9cIncoming callxe2x80x9d section each represent incoming calls (calls from clients) at each segment of time T.
Numerals provided in a xe2x80x9cQueued callxe2x80x9d section represent incoming calls which are temporarily disconnected because no operator terminals can answer them. These calls are queued as information for callback purpose and are waiting in a callback queue until they are called back when one of the operators finishes talking and becomes able to answer. For example, call 14 which is received at time T=4 is temporarily disconnected and is queued and waiting in the queue from time T4 to time T5. During the wait, the calling party of the call 14 hangs up the telephone and is awaiting a call from an operator. In short, while the calling party is awaiting a callback, the telephone line is out of use.
Numerals provided in a xe2x80x9cOperator terminals A through Gxe2x80x9d section represent that the individual operators are receiving incoming calls indicated by numerals (in this case, seven operators from A to G are receiving telephone calls). For example, from time T1 to time T3, the operator A is talking with the calling party of the call 1. From time T6 to T8, the operator G calls back and talks with the calling party of call 14.
Numerals provided in a xe2x80x9cCall immediately serviced by the operatorxe2x80x9d section represent calls which are received at a time period and are immediately answered by operators, who immediately start talking with the respective calling parties.
Numerals provided in a xe2x80x9cCall answered to a callback from the operator terminalxe2x80x9d section represent that at respective times, the operators call back and start talking with the calling parties who have been waiting for callbacks. For instance, the operators A and B call back and start talking with the calling parties of calls 8 and 9, respectively, who have been waiting.
Numerals provided in a xe2x80x9cCall unserviced and aborted (disconnected by the calling parties)xe2x80x9d section represent calls which are aborted by the calling parties because of a long waiting time and cannot be serviced by the operators.
For the sake of simplicity, the following model applies to the simulation, as in the case with the simulation shown in FIG. 31.
Upon occurrence of an incoming call, if any operator can answer, the same processing as that performed in the simulation shown in FIG. 31 will be performed.
In contrast, if no operator is able to answer (i.e., the blocks defined by the column of a certain time segment and the rows of operator terminals A through G are already filled in), the incoming call is temporarily disconnected to thereby release the telephone line. The incoming call is then queued.
For example, when call 15 is connected at time T4, no operator is available; hence, the call 15 is temporarily disconnected. Information regarding a callback to the calling party of the call 15 is placed in a callback queue. This is represented by numeral 15 entered in the column of time T4 in the xe2x80x9cQueued callxe2x80x9d section. Numerals representing calls are continuously written into the column of time segments in the xe2x80x9cQueued callxe2x80x9d section until one of the operators answers the call.
In effect, the call placed in the callback queue is not waiting while being connected to the ACD service over the telephone line; rather, the calling party of the call is waiting for a callback from the operator. Therefore, even when the call is queued for a long period of time, the calling party is regarded to not have aborted the call.
When one of the operators becomes able to answer, the calling party who is waiting is called back according to the callback information placed in the callback queue, thereby establishing communication between the operator and the calling party. For instance, the xe2x80x9cOperator terminals A through Gxe2x80x9d section shown in FIG. 32 shows that at time T7 the operator A calls back the calling party of the call 15, which had been received at time T4.
The results of simulation of the operator answering the incoming call provided in the xe2x80x9cIncoming callxe2x80x9d column according to the foregoing model reveal the following items (2-1) to (2-3).
(2-1) As shown in the xe2x80x9cCall unserviced and aborted (disconnected by the calling party)xe2x80x9d section, no calls are aborted and unserviced. In other words, all the incoming calls can be serviced.
(2-2) As pointed out by the numerals provided in the xe2x80x9cCall answered to a callback from the operatorxe2x80x9d section, seventy-five calls, which account for about 91% of all incoming calls (82 calls) are serviced by the operators after a wait, by means of callbacks from the operators.
(2-3) As pointed out by the numerals provided in the xe2x80x9cCall immediately serviced by the operatorxe2x80x9d section, only seven calls, which account for about 9% of all incoming calls (82 calls), are immediately serviced by the operators.
From the simulation result shown in FIG. 32, it is understood that the ACD system to which the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. HEI-7-7555 is applied eliminates unserviced calls but results in a very low number of calls being answered immediately.
As mentioned previously, the incoming call processing method represented by the ACD service is based on the assumption that calling parties must wait in order that a limited number of operators can efficiently service a large number of incoming calls. For this reason, the calling parties disconnect their calls, thus resulting in a large number of unserviced calls. Consequently, companies which receive orders by means of receipt of incoming calls will fail to win a contract or will lose profits, and they will also lose their credibility in the eyes of calling parties (or clients) by failing to receive complaints therefrom.
Further, the ACD system to which the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. HEI-7-7555 is applied eliminates unserviced calls by fulfilling the needs of called parties through use of callbacks. However, there still remains an unsolved problem; namely, the number of calls immediately serviced is drastically reduced, which in turn increases the number of calling parties who are dissatisfied with the length of a wait before they are serviced.
The present invention has been conceived in view of the foregoing problems of the related art, and the object of the present invention is to provide an incoming call processing method, an incoming call processing apparatus, and a computer-readable recording medium having an incoming call processing program recorded thereon, wherein the greatest possible number of incoming calls can be serviced immediately without involving unserviced telephone calls by selection of whether to answer an incoming call immediately or to answer a calling party (or a client) at a later time at which the volume of incoming traffic intensity is light.
To this end, the present invention provides an incoming call processing method comprising:
a call receiving step for causing an electronic exchanger to receive an incoming call;
an incoming call acceptance step for determining whether to answer the incoming call immediately or to answer the incoming call at a later time at which the volume of incoming traffic intensity is light; and
an answer step for answering the incoming call according to the type of answer determined in the incoming call acceptance step.
By use of such a method, the greatest possible number of incoming calls can be answered immediately without involving unserviced telephone calls, thereby expanding opportunities for operators to establish communication with clients. Further, operators can be arranged correctly, thus resulting in effective utilization of a telephone line and a reduction in operating costs.
Preferably, the incoming call processing method further comprises
a time information selection-and-determination step for selecting and determining information about the time at which an operator can answer the incoming call that in the coming call acceptance step is selected to be answered at a later time;
a first notification step for reporting to a calling party the time information selected and determined in the time information selection-and-determination step;
a verification step for verifying an approval of the calling party regarding the time information report made in the first notification step; and
an answer time determination step for determining as answer time information the time information approved by the calling party in the verification step.
Preferably, the incoming call processing method further comprises
an operator terminal selection step for selecting an operator terminal which is to answer, at the answer time determined in the response time determination step, the incoming call, which in the incoming call acceptance step has been selected to be answered at a later time; and
an operator terminal reserve step for reserving for answering the incoming call the operator terminal selected in the operator terminal selection step.
The methods yield an advantage of elimination of dissatisfaction among the calling parties required to wait for answers by the operators. For example, when the operator arranges to answer the calling party through use of a callback, the calling party is excused from having to wait by the telephone. Further, the methods yield another advantage of the operator being able to perform operations efficiently by controlling the time to call the client back. Moreover, the operator can inevitably answer the calling party at a designated time without deteriorating the availability factor of the operator terminals, thereby improving credibility in the eyes of the calling parties.
Preferably, the time information selection-and-determination step may be a step for selecting and determining the time at which the operator can answer the incoming call selected in the incoming call acceptance step to be answered at a later time. Alternatively, the time information selection-and-determination step may be configured as a step for selecting and determining a time period in which the operator can answer the incoming call selected in the incoming call acceptance step to be answered at a later time. Further, an answer time designation step may be provided after the first notification step. In this step, the calling party designates a desired time within the answer time period determined in the time information selection-and-determination step. Further, the verification step may be a step for verifying the time designated in the answer time designation step.
These steps yield an advantage of spreading calls over the time at which the volume of incoming call traffic intensity is light, thus improving answering efficiency. Further, the steps yield an advantage of enabling the calling party to select a desired answer time. Since the client""s desire is taken into consideration, the quality of the service is improved.
Preferably, the incoming call processing method according to the present invention may further comprises an answer postponement information cancellation step for canceling the postponement information on condition that the operator terminal can answer and finish talking if the same calling party initiates an incoming call before the operator answers the incoming call that has been selected in the incoming call acceptance step to be answered at a later time.
As a result, elimination of wasteful answering connection becomes feasible, thereby improving the availability factor of the operator terminals and the use efficiency of the telephone line.
Further, the incoming call processing method according to the present invention may further comprise a second notification step for informing the calling party that no operator terminal can answer if the same calling party initiates an incoming call in the answer step before the operator answers the incoming call, which in the incoming call acceptance step has been selected to be answered at a later time. Preferably, the incoming call processing method further comprises an answer time change step for changing the answer time, which has been determined in the answer time determination step, in association with the reporting operation in the second notification step.
By means of these steps, an incoming call can be appropriately connected to and answered by the operator terminal whenever necessary, and client requests for a change can be satisfied.
The present invention also provides an incoming call processing apparatus comprising:
predicted traffic intensity information storage means for storing predicted traffic intensity information about an incoming call received by an electronic exchanger;
incoming call acceptance means for determining whether to answer the incoming call immediately or to answer the incoming call at a later time at which the volume of incoming traffic intensity is light;
time information selection-and-determination means for selecting and determining information about the time at which the operator can answer the incoming call that has been selected by the incoming call acceptance means to be answered at a later time, on the basis of the predicted traffic intensity information stored in the predicted traffic intensity information storage means;
first notification means for reporting to a calling party the time information selected and determined by the time information selection-and-determination means;
verification means for verifying an approval of the calling party regarding the time information report made by the first notification means;
answer time storage means for determining and storing as answer time information the time information that is approved by the calling party by way of the verification means; and
answer means which immediately answers the incoming call if the incoming call acceptance means has determined that the incoming call is to be answered immediately and which answers the incoming call at the time stored in the answer time storage means if the incoming call acceptance means has determined that the incoming call is to be answered at a later time.
By employment of such an apparatus, the greatest possible number of incoming calls can be answered immediately without involving unserviced telephone calls, thereby expanding opportunities for operators to establish communication with clients. Further, operators can be arranged correctly, thus resulting in effective utilization of a telephone line and a reduction in operating costs.
Preferably, the incoming call processing apparatus according to the present invention further comprises
operator terminal selection means for selecting an operator terminal which is to answer the incoming call, which has been selected by the incoming call acceptance means to be answered at a later time, at the answer time determined by the incoming call acceptance means; and
operator terminal reservation means for reserving the operator terminal selected by the operator terminal selection means for answering the incoming call.
With the foregoing means, the incoming call can be inevitably answered at a designated time without deteriorating the availability factor of the operator terminal, thereby improving credibility in the eyes of the calling parties.
Preferably, the incoming call processing apparatus further comprises
answer postponement information cancellation means for canceling the postponement information on condition that the operator terminal can answer and finish talking if the same calling party initiates another incoming call before the operator answers the incoming call that has been selected by the incoming call acceptance means to be answered at a later time;
second notification means for informing the calling party that no operator terminal can answer if the same calling party initiates an incoming call before the operator answers the incoming call, which has been selected by the incoming call acceptance means to be answered at a later time; and
answer time change means capable of changing the answer time, which has been determined by the answer time determination means, in association with the reporting operation of the second notification means.
As a result, an incoming call can be appropriately connected to and answered by the operator terminal whenever necessary, and the client requests for change can be satisfied.
The present invention also provides a computer-readable recording medium on which there is recorded an incoming call processing program for causing a computer to act as
call receiving means for causing an electronic exchanger to receive an incoming call;
incoming call acceptance means for determining whether to answer the incoming call received by the call receiving means immediately or to answer the incoming call at a later time at which the volume of incoming traffic intensity is light; and
answer means for answering the incoming call according to the type of answer determined by the incoming call acceptance means.
The recording medium enables efficient management of client data including the incoming call processing method and incoming traffic intensity data, prediction of future waiting time of the client, and long-range analysis of the data.